


Getting to Know You

by mandylou67



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-01-10
Packaged: 2018-03-06 23:59:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3153146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandylou67/pseuds/mandylou67
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil Coulson and Lance Hunter get into trouble while on a mission.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

   
Chapter 1  
   
It was 1.30 in the morning and Coulson and Hunter had spent the last three hours sitting in the SUV keeping surveillance on a suspect’s apartment.   Jack Roberts had been high up on the ‘persons of interest’ list for months now and at last a sighting had finally been made in Vegas.  Although May didn’t usually approve of Coulson going out in the field, even she had to admit that they were so thin on the ground that every man counted.  But she didn’t like it one bit.  It had only been a week since his compulsion to carve on walls had stopped and they still weren’t sure whether it was permanent.  She still had reservations and had lectured him before he left.  
   
“If you feel bad, get the shakes, the sweats, Phil if you get too stressed for god’s sake take yourself out of the field.  I’ve spoken to Hunter, he’s gonna keep an eye on you.”  She took a deep breath and spoke quietly.  “I mean it Phil, if anything feels off, get out.”  
   
He appreciated her concern but this was one mission he had to be on.  Jack Roberts was responsible for the death of five shield agents in Los Angeles, having joined Hydra and given their up location.   His betrayal had hit Coulson hard, they were friends back at the academy and he was going to make damn sure that justice was served.    
   
“That’s him isn’t it?” Hunter said urgently, pointing at the hunched over figure entering the apartment.    
   
“Yep that’s him.  Let’s go” replied Coulson already exiting the car.  They ran across the road, almost getting run down by a taxi in the process, and entered the building.  As they got inside the elevator doors were closing and Hunter ran over to catch what floor it stopped on.  
   
“I’ll take the stairs, let me know which floor as soon as it stops” shouted Coulson as he opened door to the stair well.    
   
“Gotcha!” called Hunter, but he’d already disappeared.   He watched as the floor numbers lit up, 3, 4, 5, 6…… nothing.  
   
“Coulson he’s stopped on 6!” he screamed down the coms, “I’m on my way!” and he ran for the stairwell.  
   
Meanwhile Coulson had just passed the 5th floor when he heard the shout in his ear.  He sped up and as he burst onto the 6th he saw Roberts turning the corner at the end of the corridor.  He ran quickly and made the bend just in time to see him vanishing inside the end door.  As he approached quietly he caught sight of the number.  
   
“69, he’s in apartment 69” he whispered into coms.  
   
“I’m almost there, wait, don’t go in without back up” Hunter replied.    
   
Within seconds Coulson saw him appear round the corner and he indicated towards the shabby looking door through which Roberts had disappeared.  Both men drew their weapons and Coulson made a silent countdown using his fingers, 3…2…1.  He shoulder charged the door and burst into the apartment, Hunter following close behind.  They ran down the hallway into the living room, nothing.  They filtered off left and right, Coulson took the kitchen whilst Hunter checked the bathroom.  Nothing.  
   
“There!” shouted Coulson, “The window!” and he moved towards it and stuck his head out.  There was Roberts, racing down a very unstable fire escape ladder.  They’d been made. Coulson and Hunter hopped through and pursued him, both a little hesitant as the ladder bounced away from the wall when they jumped on. But as he got to the 3rd floor Roberts ducked through an open window and they could hear screams from its occupant.  They sped up and followed him back into the building, raising more cries from a terrified woman standing in her dressing gown.    
   
“Sorry, sorry” said Coulson as he passed her and headed for the door.  Roberts now had a considerable head start and he only just caught sight of him flying into the stairwell.  
   
“Take the elevator and cover the front.  I’ll follow him this way.  Hunter keep in contact right!” screamed Coulson.  
   
“I’m on it!” replied Hunter as he raced towards the elevators.    
   
As he raced to keep up with Roberts he looked down the stairwell to see him reach basement level and charge off into the car park.  Coulson was gasping for breath, still not fully fit following his carving episodes but he’d be damned if he was going to give up the chase.  He jumped down the last three steps and burst through the basement doors, immediately scanning the area for Roberts.  That’s when he felt the pain in the back of his head.  He stumbled forward trying to keep his balance but as his vision blurred and he became dizzy he felt the cold hard concrete hit his knees.  As he desperately clung to consciousness he noticed two sets of shoes standing in front of him.  He looked up to see Roberts and another man talking but the sound in his head was muffled and confused and he was unable to make out what they were saying.  Roberts took a step towards him and pulled out his gun.  Unable to move Coulson could only watch as he lifted the weapon and swung down hard against his head.  It all went black.  


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil Coulson and Lance Hunter get into trouble while on a mission.

When he came round the first thing Coulson heard was a car horn, he couldn’t see a thing and quickly realised he had a hood over his head. As far as he could make out from the way he was being thrown around he was lying in the back of a large vehicle, probably an SUV, his hands tied behind his back. He tried shifting position but as he did so a sharp pain through his head told him to keep still for now. He wriggled his hands to try loosen his binds but it was so tight the rope just bit into his wrist and split the skin. It was then that he heard a groan beside him, he wasn’t alone in the trunk. 

“ugghh, what the hell?” came a muffled voice he recognised.

“Hunter, is that you?” asked Coulson. “You ok?”

“Yeah, it’s me. Well that went well!” Hunter replied sarcastically. “Damn, my bloody head’s killing me!”

“They knew we were coming, he had backup waiting. I think it was a set up to capture a Shield agent and get intel.”

“Well they got what they came for!” scowled Hunter. “Not a bad catch hey, Director of Shield in Hydras hands. We better start thinking of a way out of this! You tried freeing your hands?”

“It’s too tight, I can’t even feel them. You?” replied Coulson.

“Nah, done up tighter than a knats arse!”

“Guess we’ll have to wait …” Coulson’s voice trailed off as both men felt the vehicle come to an abrupt halt. His tone altered. “Lance, you can’t give up anything, no matter what, we have to protect what’s left of Shield.” Although he had been an asset so far, Hunter hadn’t been with the team long and hadn’t yet proved his loyalty. “Hunter you hear m….”

“Yeah I hear you” he answered, partly offended and partly resigned to the fact that whatever came next was going to hurt.

The door opened and Coulson felt someone grab hold of his feet and pull him out. As he hit the ground with a thud it knocked the wind right out of him and he struggled to breathe. The hood was already restricting the air flow and as his head went dizzy he almost passed out again. He felt some hands hook under his arms and yank him upright as two hydra thugs dragged him away from the car and into a building. 

As they talked among themselves he noticed their voices echo and he guessed they were in some sort of warehouse. He could hear Hunter protesting as he disappeared off to his left, then his captors came to a sudden halt.

“Take it off” ordered a deep and husky voice. The hood was removed and Coulson was thankful for the cool air. He took a deep breath but he couldn’t help but squint as the sunlight hit his face. Sunlight. That meant he’d been out for at least four hours. Where in god’s name were they. He could feel the stickiness of dried blood across his eye from the head wound Roberts had provided back in the parking lot and as he slowly adjusted and regained his focus he found himself face to face with a tall svelte man who was dark haired and had a large bushy beard. Standing beside him was Jack Roberts, a smirk rolling across his face.

“Knew you couldn’t resist Phil. You always were out to do the right thing” Roberts chuckled, oozing with confidence, “So glad you came yourself!”

“You always were in it for yourself you son of a bitch!” countered Coulson. Roberts stepped forward and landed a fist right across his jaw, snapping his head backwards. The pain ripped through his already aching head and he could taste blood in his mouth. He forced his head forward and spat the blood out all over Robert’s shoes. He shouted out in anger and was just about to lay into him again when the bearded man stepped in front.

“We need him in one piece for now. We won’t get any answers if he can’t talk. Why don’t you go see how they’re getting on with the other one” he growled. Roberts looked fit to explode. 

“Damn it!” he spat out, “Fine, but I get to finish him off when the time comes, right?” The tall stranger just nodded and Roberts walked off muttering as he went.

“Sit him down” he ordered the guards, who quickly obliged. “We have a lot of questions to get through Mr Coulson.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For SassyCassy1401, my inspiration.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil Coulson and Lance Hunter get into trouble while on a mission.

“Is there any sign of them Bobbi? Have you located the vehicle?” May shouted down her radio, frustration starting to get the better of her. She was sitting in the cockpit of the cloaked plane having landed just outside the city and dropped Bobbi, Skye and Mac off in search of Coulson and Hunter. There had been no word from them since shortly after midnight when they had checked in reporting no sign of Jack Roberts, the Hydra agent they had gone there hoping to apprehend. It was now almost 6am. 

 

“No, they're nowhere to be seen. But we have found the SUV. It was parked on the roadside opposite Roberts’ apartment. My guess is they've spotted him and gone in after him. The doors were unlocked and their coats were still on the back seat. They left in a hurry May” replied Bobbi, a sense of urgency apparent in her voice. “Mac and Skye are checking out the lower levels and the parking lot but I'd say they're long gone from here.” 

 

“Shit.” Whispered May. She’d had a bad feeling about this mission from start. Jack Roberts was never someone’s company she enjoyed. Back when she knew him at the academy he had always been arrogant and self-assured and whilst on assignment if he could find a shortcut to get what he needed then he would, no matter at whose expense. She’d never trusted him back then and he sure as hell had proved that her instinct was right. May knew all too well what he was capable of. 

“Get back to me as soon as you hear from them, we can’t sit and hope on this one Bobbi. Jack Roberts is a dangerous man.”

“Ok, I’ll go see what they've found. I’ll let you know the minute we find anything.”

~ ~ ~ 

Bobbi found the stairwell and made her way down to the basement level in search of Sky and Mac. The parking lot was underground and the radios were playing up. She couldn’t get a reply and was going to have to go find them. As she walked through the doors she almost charged into Mac who was kneeling in front of what looked like a small pool of blood. She instantly felt a knot in her stomach. Mac turned to her, he didn’t look happy.

“There’s still no sign of them but something happened here. There’s scuff marks that look like someone was dragged to a car over there” he pointed to the left, “and well…. this.” He looked back at the blood. Bobbi could feel the knot tighten. 

“Where’s Skye?”

“She noticed the security camera above the door, she’s gone to see if it caught anything. Security’s on the 2nd floor, I was just about to join her” replied Mac.

“Right. Let’s hope it catches a vehicle and plate cos without that…..” her voice trailed off as she shook her head. Mac stood up and touched her shoulder.

“Let’s go take a look at what Skye’s turned up. Don’t worry, we’ll find them” and he smiled at Bobbi. She never could work out how he always looked so calm in a crisis but she was glad he was there. 

~ ~ ~

As they entered the security office, Skye was standing hunched over behind one of the guards who was sitting at a monitor attempting to sift through the footage from the parking lot camera. The clock at the top of the screen displayed 1.43am, right around the time Coulson and Hunter should have checked in. 

“There! I’m sure that’s Roberts!” Skye shouted as they watched him burst through the doors and run off the screen. A few seconds passed and he returned back into shot, but this time he wasn’t alone. A tall bearded man was with him and they moved to position themselves in the shadows either side of the door and waited. It was about 10 seconds later that Coulson rushed in, stopped and looked around the lot. Skye had to fight the urge to shout out and warn him as she waited for the inevitable to happen. Roberts stepped up behind him and with full force smacked the butt of his gun across the back of his head. Skye held her breath as she watched him stagger forward and fall to his knees. Both men walked round in front of him and as Coulson looked up at them Roberts swung down hard again delivering a blow to the side of his head, knocking him out cold.

Skye gasped and took a step back from the monitor, lifting her hand to her mouth trying to hide her shock. She hadn’t been prepared for the level of violence she’d just witnessed against her boss, her friend. Bobbi stepped forward and reached out to touch her forearm. Skye jumped and turned to her, tears welling in her eyes. She’d been so engrossed in the footage that she hadn’t even noticed Bobbi and Mac enter the room. Skye shook her head unable to speak. Both women turned their attention back to the monitor and watched as they took hold of Coulson and dragged him across to an SUV parked to the left. Roberts then rope tied his hands behind his back and placed a hood over his head. They then picked him up and shoved him into the trunk, slamming it shut. They got into the vehicle, started up and reversed out of the space.

“Stop it there!” shouted Bobbi, “Can you catch the plate?” 

“Yeah, it looks like HY0 R81” replied the security guard. 

“Skye, can you put it through plate recognition, we might get lucky and at least see what direction they headed in.”

“I’ll need to get back to the bus, I can hack the city’s traffic cameras and maybe track where they went” Skye felt relieved to be able to do something to help Coulson out of his predicament. But as they turned to leave the room the security guard resumed playback and soon stopped them in their tracks.

“Wait! They’ve pulled up. Something's happening” he blurted.

Bobbi, Skye and Mac all faced the screen again and watched as Roberts got out, walked to the trunk and opened it up, just as two more guys walked down the side of the vehicle. Mac sighed as it became apparent that they were dragging a body between them.

“Guess we know what happened to Hunter then” he spoke quietly. They tied his hands, hooded him and lifted him in next to Coulson. All four men returned to the vehicle and sped of out of the parking lot at speed.

“We gotta get back to the bus now!” Shouted Bobbi. “Get May on the radio Mac, tell her what's happened and that we’re en route. We’ve gotta move fast on this, they’ve already got a 4 hour start on us. Better hope that damn plate shows up.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a sinister turn as Coulson and Hunter are interrogated.

“Where can we find it Coulson. We know you call it the playground. We know its where you co-ordinate SHIELD from. We just need to know where to find it. This doesn’t haven’t to hurt any more. Just tell me where it is and this can all stop” said the bearded stranger calmly as he nodded to the thug who stepped forward. He swung the bat down hard and it connected with Coulson knee, again. He screamed out in agony as the pain shot through his leg and up into his head. He held his breath and almost bit through his lip as he tried to stay in control. The questioning had been going on for over half an hour, along with the beating. He tried for the umpteenth time to free his hands but the rope just cut further into his wrists. He looked up and focused again on the face of his aggressor. It seemed so familiar, from a photo or from a time before his memories were tampered with. As the pain eased his mind began to clear and the feeling that he knew this man grew stronger. He could also see that he was starting to get agitated by the lack of answers to his questions. He leant in towards Coulson, threw a hand round his throat and began to squeeze hard against his windpipe. 

“Tell me where it is!” he spat out, holding his face close. “Tell me!” Coulson could feel his lungs burning as the lack of oxygen sent his head spinning and he struggled to free his airway. As the colour drained from his face the stranger’s frustration was plain to see and he drew back, released his grip and then swung hard at Coulson, smacking his cheek bone and knocking both him and the chair over sideways. As he squirmed on the floor gasping for breath he tried to refill his lungs with air but was stopped short as he took a kick to the stomach. It felt like he’d been hit by a truck. 

"This is getting us nowhere. Get him up. Bring the other one through... Now!" shouted the bearded man and a guard by the door replied

"Yes Mr. Matthews" and disappeared into the next room.

Coulson fought to remain conscious as the guards pulled both him and the chair upright. The name he'd just heard filtered through his confused mind. Matthews .... Matthews. He knew that name, and yet still it wouldn't come to him. He looked up and saw two men dragging Hunter into the room. It seemed he'd been through some similar questioning. They dragged a chair across in front of Coulson and shoved Hunter down on the seat. He looked up a forced a grin through his bruised and bloodied face.

"You look about as good as I feel Coulson. Guess you didn't sing the right song either" he said in a sarcastic tone, which earnt him another shove in the back by the guard securing him to the chair. 

"You ok?" whispered Coulson as he finally got is breath back. Hunter just nodded.

"I'm tired of messing around. Tell me where I can find the playground." Matthews directed the question at Hunter who just looked up and grinned but said nothing. He then turned and indicated to the man standing by Coulson, who moved in front of him and smacked him square in the face, followed by a blow to his chest. Coulson coughed and spluttered as once again all the air was forced out of his body and he doubled over. The man behind him grabbed his hair and pulled his head back revealing his smashed and broken nose. Hunter squirmed uncomfortably in is seat, obviously disturbed at the sight. 

"Where is the playground?" came the question again. Hunter closed his eyes and pressed his lips together. He knew he couldn't answer but it was unbearable to watch as Coulson took the punishment for his silence. Again Matthews nodded to his thug. He picked up the bat and landed yet another blow to Coulson's knee. He cried out in pain unable to hide his distress. But he still managed to look at up and speak.

 

“Hunter.….. don’t” he forced out whilst trying to catch his breath. “Don’t say a word.” Hunter just shook his head and looked to the floor. Coulson then turned and looked straight at Matthews, “You’ll get nothing from us, nothing” he growled.

“Oh we’re not finished yet, let’s wait and see shall we” and he smirked. He then walked slowly over to a table behind him and picked something up. As he turned and made his way back Coulson could see a hammer in his hand and a wave of panic rose in his throat. He felt the adrenaline pump through his head in anticipation of the next assault on his already battered body. He clenched his jaw and tried his damndest not to show fear but as he looked at Hunter he knew he was shaking and his breathing was fast. He drew a deep breath and prepared for the onslaught. 

But as Matthews approached a Hydra agent entered and stood between them, speaking quietly in his ear. 

“What! Why now? I was just about to get answers damn it?” shouted Matthews. The agent cowered a little obviously aware of his temper but replied

“I’m sorry sir, but orders have come from headquarters. We have to transfer them immediately.” Matthews threw the hammer across the room, narrowly missing the guard standing behind Coulson.

“Fine!” he spat out, “Take them to the vehicles. I’ll follow on later. I’ve got a loose end I need to clear up.” He looked straight at Coulson. “Looks like we’ll have to continue this later. I look forward to it” and he turned and walked out of the room.

The guards grabbed hold of both men and yanked them to their feet. Coulson fell straight back down and yelped in pain, unable to put any weight on his injured knee. 

“Get up!” screamed one of the guards as they pulled him up off the floor and dragged both he and Hunter back outside to the SUV, securing them in the back seats. Hunter glanced left out the window, desert for as far as he could see. They were probably still in Vegas, on the outskirts of town. That was good, more chance of the team finding them. He had no idea where they were heading, but as he looked across at Coulson slumped in the seat next to him, all he knew was that he had to do something, and fast.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> May and the team are running out of time to find Coulson and Hunter.

May stood at the top of the ramp and watched impatiently as the SUV drove onto the Bus and came to a halt. Before she could move towards it the passenger door flew open and Skye launched out of it. May watched as she made for the lab at breakneck speed, opened her laptop and began striking the keys with upmost urgency. May turned back to the vehicle to see Bobbi and Mac walking towards her.

“What the hell happened? How did they know we were coming?” she raged at them. “Do we even know which direction they went? What vehicle they’re in? Do we know anything?” 

“Take a breath May” said Bobbi. “Skye’s working on it right now. We have a plate, a vehicle and a timeframe. I pretty sure the whole thing was a set up from the start. They were waiting for them May, they didn’t stand a chance.” May held her breath as she allowed what Bobbi had said to sink in. It had confirmed her worst fears and as her pulse raced it felt like a hammer inside her head. A dozen different scenarios raced through her mind within seconds and when finally she gathered her thoughts she forced a reply.

“Did you see the security feed? Did it look bad?” she whispered. Bobbi just looked at her, unable to answer. “Bobbi!” she asked again. 

“It didn’t look great” and she shook her head slightly. But before May had time to react a shout came from the lab where Skye was drumming away on her laptop. She’d hacked into the city’s traffic cameras hoping to find the SUV with their plate recognition software.

“I’ve got it! It headed east, down Main Street. Hopefully we can follow it and track down where they're holding them."

~ ~ ~

So whilst Skye and Bobbi scanned the footage, May and Mac began checking that the vests and weapons were ready to go as soon as they located Coulson and Hunter. 

“Do you want the P90?” Mac asked, but May just continued rifling through a box of equipment. She seemed a million miles away. She pulled out a torch and pushed the on switch. Nothing. 

"Damn" she muttered as she tossed it back into the box and continued searching. 

“May? The P90?" Again no reply. Instead she just carried on shuffling through the box. Mac walked towards her and was about to speak when she stood up, another torch in her hand. She tried turning it on but once again the battery was out. 

"Damn it!" she shouted and threw the torch against the wall, smashing it into pieces. She just stood there, her eyes screwed shut, unable to move. She just couldn't stop her mind from spinning and her heart was racing so fast she could hardly breathe. She knew they all took risks and any assignment had its dangers. But this was different, this was Coulson. She was supposed to protect him at all cost. He was the director of shield. He was her best friend. He was the one constant in her life that she just had to hold onto. Without him she was nothing but a shell, an empty vessel. Bahrain had changed everything and Coulson was the one person who held the essence of what remained. Without him she'd be lost, forever. 

"May?" he said quietly as he moved next to her and gently touched her arm. Startled out of her thoughts she jumped and turned, grabbing his hand instinctively and twisting his wrist, forcing him to his knees. He yelped in pain and she instantly released her grip, horrified at what she'd done.

"I'm sorry Mac, I... I didn't realise... I was thinking about ... I'm... I'm sorry" she uttered shaking her head as she took a step backwards.

"It's alright, I'm ok. I shouldn't have startled you" he replied as he stood up and held a hand out to her.

"I need to do something. I can't sit around waiting, knowing Roberts has them. I know what he's capable of, I can't just wait around, I... I... have to ..." May pulled away from Mac, unable to finish. She took a deep breath, turned back to the box and continued her search for a working torch. Mac moved closer, took her hand in his and gently squeezed.

"We're gonna get them back." May didn't look up or say anything but gave a quick nod, then continued to search through the box.

Before Mac could say anything else, Bobbi came rushing in.

"We've tracked them to a warehouse on the east side of the city. Skye's put the coordinates into the sat nav, we're fuelled up and ready to roll." She suddenly became aware of the tension in the room. "Is everything ok here? Are we good to go?" May glanced at Mac, smiled a little and stood turning towards Bobbi.

"We're good to go. We leave in five."

~ ~ ~

As they pulled up outside the warehouse all four agents double checked their weapons and exited the vehicle. They split up, May and Skye took the side door while Bobbi and Mac made for the back entrance. As May burst through the door she was expecting to meet resistance from inside but instead she found an empty room with nothing but a couple of chairs. The pair crept quietly through the room heading for the office at the back. But just as May reached for the handle there was a gunshot that shattered the glass window, spraying it over the two agents. They ducked down behind some packing crates and waited for a second shot. But nothing happened. 

“Skye, did you see which direction the shot came from?” May whispered, still scanning for any movement from the office.

“I thought it came from the left but I can’t be sure” she replied. It was then that the silence was broken by the sound of groaning coming from inside. They looked at each other puzzled, neither had even fired a shot.

“Cover me!” ordered May and before Skye could object she launched herself at the door, smashing it open and ducking into a roll across the room. She stood up quickly and aimed her weapon at the corner from which they’d heard the moaning. It was Roberts. He was propped up against a filing cabinet, blood oozing from a wound in his chest. He was breathing heavily and his arms had dropped to his sides. Although he was holding a gun in his hand it was obvious that he no longer had the strength to lift it off the floor. He coughed and blood splattered out of his mouth. He didn’t have long left. May moved across to him and kicked the gun from his grip and knelt down beside him.

“Where’s Coulson” she demanded, but he didn’t reply. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward so he was face on with her. “Where the hell is Coulson!” she shouted.

“Good to see you Mel. Been a while since ….” He was unable to continue as he coughed and spluttered once again. 

“You’re running out of time. Tell me where Coulson is and I’ll get you some help.” Roberts just grinned through the blood he’d just coughed up as it slid down his chin. “Who did this, Jack?”

“Guess I wasn’t… as useful to Hydra… as I thought.” He gasped for breath. “They’re flying them… headquarters….. airstrip in the desert…ugh” Roberts coughed, his face contorted as he desperately tried to hold on. “I’m sorry May. I never… made the right… “ Roberts took his last breath and his head dropped forward. He was gone. She released her grip and turned to see Skye standing behind her. 

“We have to find it now. If they take off, we’ve lost them, there’s no way we can track them.” At that moment Mac and Bobbi burst into the room, stopping abruptly when they saw Roberts lying beside May.

“What the hell happened? There’s no one out back, the place is deserted. Did you..?” Bobbi’s voice trailed off as she pointed at his body.

“No time to explain. They’re flying them out of here and we have to find them before they do” May replied urgently.

“There’s a junk yard about an hour from here. Drug runners used to use the airstrip to land and distribute from there, heard about it when I was working with Vegas PD” said Mac, “It’s gotta be that, only way to stay under the radar around here.” May stood up and hurried for the exit. 

“I don't think they've been gone long, but there's no time to return to the bus” she blurted quickly as she moved towards the SUV. “We just have to hope to hell we can get to them first….. or God help them.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter hatches a plan of escape!

They'd been travelling for a little over fifteen minutes now and Hunter was desperately trying to think of a way to get them out of this mess. But with his hands bound behind his back and Coulson still looking dazed there weren't too many ideas popping into his head. He'd heard his captors up front discussing their destination, a junk yard in the desert from where they'd be flown to Washington and Hydra headquarters. If they were going avoid that delight he had better act fast. Hunter was suddenly dragged from his thoughts and thrown to one side as the vehicle lost control and took a sharp swerve, narrowly missing the ditch at the side of the road before correcting.

“For Christ’s sake, I said I should have driven! You fell asleep at the wheel again!” screamed one guard to the other. “You nearly killed us!” The two men then erupted into a heated argument resulting in the SUV pulling over onto the hard shoulder. The passenger threw open the door and jumped out, stomping round to the driver’s side whilst still muttering away to himself. He pulled the door open and yanked the other guy by the arm. “Out! Now! I'm driving from here, I wanna get there in one piece!” And he pulled again at his arm.

"Ok ok, I'm getting out. I was up all night waiting for these jerks to turn up” said the driver as he shuffled out of his seat and out of the vehicle.

Hunter immediately saw this as their only opportunity to get out of this mess. 

“Err guys, guys, I really need a whizz.” he called through the open door. “Hey I've really gotta go.”

“Jesus can't you hold it?” he shouted as he turned accusingly at his partner. “We’re already late!” 

“Hey don't start on me Tony, told you we'd be cutting it fine. They didn't exactly give us much warning an…” He got cut short as he was pushed backwards and almost tripped over.

“Shut up Dave and get him out of the car. I’m sick of your excuses. Just get it done and let's get going… Now!” screamed Tony as he turned away, grabbed a cigarette from his pocket and lit up.

Dave shook his head and made his way round to the rear passenger door. He swung it open and smacked Hunter’s head on the frame as he impatiently dragged him out and shoved him a few feet from the vehicle.

“Well get on with it then!” he shouted at Hunter, who turned and looked puzzled at his captor. 

“Mate, unless you wanna hold my dick, you’re gonna have to untie my hands” he said in a sarcastic tone. 

“Huh? I’m not doin that! Jesus!” He screeched in horror as he quickly moved to release the ropes that bound him. “And don’t try no funny stuff either.” Hunter rubbed his wrists which were marked and sore, and took a few steps to the side and readied himself for his escape. With one swift move he turned and launched himself at the guard, knocking him backwards to the floor, the gun falling from his grip. Both men reached for it and wrestled for possession, forcing a shot off that hit the back of the car. Hunter let go and grabbed the guards head, smacking it hard into the ground three times. The gun dropped again and he swung a right hook that landed right across the jaw of guard, knocking him out cold instantly.

“Hey!” shouted Tony as he flicked his cigarette and made for Hunter.

Before he could even get to his feet a shot was fired, hitting the ground right in front of him. He ducked and rolled, grabbing the gun from the floor as he tumbled aside. He rolled into an upright position on one knee and fired back a shot. Tony, who was running towards him, took the bullet to his knee and fell to the floor. He desperately tried to get back up but before he could Hunter stood up and let off another two shots into his chest. He dropped back lifeless. Hunter moved towards the passenger door where Coulson was sitting but as he approached he was immediately hit by the strong smell of diesel. As he looked at the floor he saw a large puddle forming beside the rear tyre, right below where the stray shot hit the SUV. 

“For Christ’s sake!“ he shouted as he kicked the side of the car. “What the fuck do we do now!” He screwed his eyes shut and forced back the blind panic that was trying to wash over him. After a few seconds he opened them again and took a look down the road ahead. In the distance he could see the scrap yard they’d been heading for. They now had no choice but to continue that way, find cover and hope that the team would locate them before Hydra did.

He turned back to the body on the floor and began searching his pockets for a cell phone. He pulled one out of his jacket pocket and went to dial. 

“Shit!” The screen was smashed and there was a bullet hole straight through the middle. He ran back over to the other guard who was beginning to stir and smacked a punch across his face ensuring he wasn't getting up again. He reached down and checked for a cell finding one in his jean pocket. Only 5% battery left, he had to be quick. He punched in Bobbi’s cell number, the only one he ever bothered to memorise, but only a busy tone rang in his ear. “Shit, SHIT!” He tried it again, only 3% battery now. Busy again. “For fuck sake Bobbi get off the damn phone!” he demanded. He hit the call button again, this would be his last chance before the cell died. It started ringing. “Come on, come on, pick up!” he begged. He heard Bobbi’s voice say hello.

“Babe, it’s me, Coulson’s hurt and we stuck in the desert. Hydra’s hot on our heels and we’re gonna make for this junk yard nearby and take cover there. Please get here quick cos…..” The cell went dead. “Oh that's just brilliant!” he shouted and he threw it against the SUV. He took a deep breath and grabbed for the handle. He opened the door and leant inside.

“Coulson, come on, we gotta get out of here.” He reached down behind him and undid his ropes freeing his hands. Coulson nodded and shuffled across the seat to get out. But as he stood and put weight on his knee his legs gave way and he yelped in pain, falling back into the vehicle.

“God damn it!” he shouted and held his breath as he tried to control the pain that was shooting through his knee. “Just give me a sec, I'll be ok” he said and he held his head in his hands. Hunter winced as he imagined the state Coulson’s knee must be in but he shook his head and took hold of his arms.

“I’m sorry Coulson, but we can’t wait. We have to move now before they come looking for us. There’s little or no cover out here and we’ve got to make it to the junk yard before its dark.” He hoisted him out of the car and took his weight across his shoulders. He groaned as once again pain shot through his knee but he nodded and gripped hard on Hunters jacket. 

“I just hope they find us and soon. Roberts and that other piece of work won’t be far behind us and I’m in no mood to try out any more of his interrogation skills” said Hunter sarcastically. Coulson turned and looked at him.

“The piece of work, Matthews, I know him from somewhere. I can’t think where but I’ve got a really bad feeling about him. We can’t let them take us again. Lance, I don’t know how much more ….” His voice trailed off and he looked away and swallowed hard, trying to hide his distress. 

“Phil listen. He won’t take us again, I’ll see to that” and he paused a second. “Now let’s get moving.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil and Lance make it to relative safety, but not for long....

By the time Coulson and Hunter had reached the edge of the junk yard they had long since finished the bottle of water retrieved from the car and both men were exhausted and dehydrated. Coulson’s knee had swollen so badly he could hardly put any weight on it and was only standing with help from hunter who was supporting him with his arm across his shoulder. They made their way to the nearest hollowed out skeleton of a long gone airplane in an attempt to find some shelter from the sun. It was propped slightly off the ground by a few breeze blocks and after an initial struggle to get in Hunter gently lowered Coulson down to the floor and propped him up against some old life jackets that had been left behind. He took a look out of the door to make sure they hadn't alerted the attention of any hydra personnel that had been awaiting their arrival and then began searching through the plane to see if he could find anything of use. There wasn't much, mainly scrap metal, evacuation leaflets and some head cushions, one of which he picked up and placed behind Coulson’s head. 

“Not much of use in here boss. How you doing?” He asked as he adjusted the jackets and put one under his knee. Coulson yelped a little but thanked him all the same. 

“I'll be ok I just need to rest for a bit. Did you try the kitchen galley? They often have a small first aid kit in them.” Replied Coulson. 

“I didn't go that far, I'll go check now” he said as he stood and made his way further down the plane. He came to the galley and sure enough on the wall there was a first aid kit. He pulled it off and opened it up. It still had supplies inside, including some painkillers. Thank god. He shut the box and began to check all the cupboards and at the back of one he found three individual packs of biscuits. God knows how old they were but right now they looked like a meal sent from heaven. He continued searching but only found a half empty bottle of water. He gather everything up and went back to Coulson, who was now looking grey with pain. 

“Good call Coulson, I found a kit and even some biscuits! They might be past their best but I'm not complaining” and he chucked a pack over. “Found painkillers too, here get them down you.” and he passed the water and a couple of tablets to Coulson's shaking hand. He swallowed them quickly, being sure not to take too much water and then opened the biscuits. 

“Thanks Lance,” he managed a small smile, “and stop calling me Coulson, its Phil ok.” Lance returned the smile. 

“Yep, ok I got it, Phil.” 

“Any sign of Bobbi and the others?” he took a heavy breath, “They should have worked out from your call where we are by now.” spoke Coulson quietly. 

“No sign as yet but if I know my girl she won't take long to work it out. We'll be sipping a cool larger in no time” replied Lance. Truth was he was growing concerned about Coulson, he didn't look good and was struggling to stay awake. “So tell me, how'd you and May meet? I mean it seems like you've know each other for a life time” he asked, in an attempt to keep him conscious. 

“We met at the Academy, must be 30 years ago now. May was always good in combat class and I managed to get partnered with her. I guess we just clicked and been friends ever since. Had our first undercover assignment together and worked well as a team so they continued to partner us up. She had one mission go bad a few years back, gave it all up for a desk job. But when I put our team together I convinced her to come back in the field and I guess she was ready.” He drew a sharp breath and winced as pain shot through his knee. 

Hunter squirmed in empathy for him. Coulson's needed a lot more than out of date Advil. He stood up and looked for something to splint his leg. 

“Bobbi and I first met doing some freelance work in Dubai. She'd not long left the Special Forces and I'd been outta the marines for a few years. Must be about 8 years ago. It was instant attraction, hot and fierce. I mean we barely knew each other's name before we …… huh, well let's just say we got to know each other pretty quick. But Bobbi and I, we just can't stay in it for long. Been on and off ever since. Can't live with her, can't live without!” Hunter paused as he notice some aluminium tubing on the floor. He picked up two suitable lengths and turned back to Coulson who was trying his damdest not to show just how much pain he was in. “She’s good at what she does Phil, I know she'll find us soon. She won't give up till she does. Here, let’s strap this knee up. This'll hold it steady for you.” He took a bandage out of the first aid kit and gently placed the tubing each side of Coulson's leg. 

“Hold them there” he said as he began winding the bandage round. Coulson cried out as the makeshift splint tightened and straightened his leg. Sweat trickled down his contorted face but he nodded to hunter to keep going. By the time he'd finished it had all proved too much and Coulson lay out cold. Hunter stood up feeling more than a little uncomfortable about having knocked his boss out but he knew it was necessary. At least he couldn’t feel the pain while he was out.

He was whipped out of his thoughts when he heard movement outside the plane and his head snapped round in an instant. He ducked quickly and edged his way to the entrance, carefully peeking out to find the source. To his horror he caught sight of two men, one of which was wearing the uniform of a security officer and was holding a sub machine gun. The other held a pistol and was barking orders as he turned away and moved further back into the junk yard. Hunter slid back down and positioned himself beside the door. He saw the guards shadow fall across the opening and grow larger as he got closer. At least he would have the element of surprise. But as he readied himself for a fight he heard Coulson stir behind him. No, not now. If the guard heard he'd lose what little advantage he had. He prayed for silence but Coulson groaned and shifted position again. This time he heard and sped up towards the plane. The guard charged through the entrance and pointed the gun straight at Coulson. Hunter then launched himself onto his back and grab hold of the gun as both men struggled for possession. He landed a punch hard to his ribs which clearly took his breath away. The guard retaliated with an elbow to Hunters face, breaking his nose in the process. Still both men held tight to the gun. They stumbled backwards and as he slammed against the plane he went lightheaded as all the air left his lungs and he found himself trapped between the wall and his attacker. If he let go now he’d be done for and he held on with what little strength he had left. But the guard felt him weaken and dug his elbow into his stomach. Hunter lost his grip and slid down to the floor, gasping for breath as his enemy turned, cuffed him with the gun butt and aimed it at him. 

“Hands in the air!” he screamed, “Now!” 

There was no way he was going to let himself be taken again, he would chance the bullet before ending up a Hydra headquarters. He knew what they did to people there. The guard cocked the gun and readied to fire, his finger firmly on the trigger. 

“Hands, now!” he shouted again. Time seemed to stand still as he ran through a dozen different scenarios in his head as to how to get out of this, but all ended in him left shot at close range. No one survives that. What had taken Bobbi so long to get here? Now he would never see her again and that hit him harder than any bullet. He drew a deep breath and prepared to grab for the gun. 

Whack. He heard a sickening blow as the guard’s expression changed and he dropped to the floor like a lead weight, blood pouring from a head would. Behind stood Coulson, a metal pole in his hand, swaying as he tried to stay standing. 

“You ok?” he asked. “Sorry, I cut that a little close” he said as he leant against the wall to steady himself. 

“Close! …. Close!” screamed Hunter. “I’d already said my Hail Mary’s! Any closer and I’d of kicked the bucket!!” Hunter looked at the floor and composed himself. It had been a little too close for comfort and he drew a deep breath as he looked up again.

“Thanks man. I owe you one.” He smiled and continued. “Now just where the hell is Bobbi!”

**Author's Note:**

> For SassyCassy1401, my inspiration.


End file.
